


Collecting Tinder

by orphan_account



Series: Brevity [2]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Character Study, Drabbles, Gen, Spoilers, retrospective speculation, traditional drabbles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-09
Updated: 2017-03-11
Packaged: 2018-10-01 16:06:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10193600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: A series of traditional drabbles (100 words, no more, no less) exploring Adrian Chase in Arrow 5.01-5.06. Working assumption: Prometheus didn't know Oliver was the Green Arrow until the end of 5.05. Written just after the Prometheus reveal.





	1. Prologue

Starling City – Star City, now – was a wreck. Or at least it looked like it on tv. The crowd cheered as the man in green leather stabbed Damian Darhk with an arrow.

“Your father died like that,” Amanda noted. “Almost.”

“I know,” Adrian replied. “They think he’s a hero, now.”

The news switched to the inauguration of the new mayor.

“A new administration will have lots of positions to fill.” Adrian looked at his attache case, then at the closet where his other suit waited. “I think it’s time for my next career step. Star City could use real justice.”


	2. 5.01

The door to the evidence locker clicked open. Adrian pulled his hand out of his pocket and stepped into the aisle. Just Lieutenant Conahan, checking in a couple labeled bags.

“Everything good out there, Lieutenant?”

“Hostages are safe. Bad guy got away,” Conahan replied.

“You got a motive for him?” Adrian smiled. “For when it’s time to prosecute him.”

“He’s after the Green Arrow,” Conahan responded. “But it’s ok. Green Arrow got away. Parachuted out of a helicopter. It was amazing.”

Adrian nodded. “Well, guess I’ll see you later.” His eye twitched as he fingered the edge of an arrowhead.


	3. 5.02

If you want to know what’s going on in a city, you pay attention to the criminals. Adrian had learned that, fresh out of law school. Sure, you learn a lot from victims of crimes; you can’t build a case without them. Cops? Eh, they’re always the last to know anything.

So reports of that new crime boss in town were important. Especially the rumors that he wanted to take out the Green Arrow.

That wasn’t going to happen, Adrian thought as he pulled on his gloves. Justice should come from the system.

Or from the District Attorney. Same thing.


	4. 5.03

Mayor Queen was an ass. Adrian had known that for years, but the electorate’s memory was notoriously short. It wasn’t just Queen’s history of stealing girlfriends, or the way that being Star City royalty made up for his utter lack of qualifications.

No. Adrian had held out hope that Queen would have shared his annoyance with the plague of vigilantes. After all, the Arrow had attacked Queen’s own mother.

But he seemed pleased – maybe even relieved – to hear that the fake Robin Hood now had a band of not-so-merry men.

Got to keep an eye on the mayor, Adrian decided.


	5. 5.04

Adrian’s clothes smelled like smoke as he walked away from the wreckage of the station. Bad day. No dirt from Lance; maybe Adrian should bring up his daughter next time. No new info on Church. Worst: rescued by half-competent vigilantes. Plus his wife was going to be pissed, maybe start asking questions. And that was just his day job.

As he stalked away, Adrian considered the new configuration of the chess board.

The Green Arrow had been conspicuous by his absence. Same went for the mayor. 

Church had the mouthy hockey-mask kid.

Maybe Church could finally be of some use.


	6. 5.05

Adrian dropped into the abandoned apartment building, pulled off his mask, and tested the edges of the throwing stars on the table. Leaving Church with the kid had paid off. You could always tell when the defendant thought he had a winning strategy. A little cocky. A little too impatient for the next move.

Of course, the Green Arrow would know if the kid had given up info, and make his own move in defense. If Adrian’s guess was correct, the pieces were about to line up nicely.

If the guesses were wrong? Church would give up that information, too.


	7. 5.06

Adrian sipped his coffee as he went over the notes in his head. Getting a guilty verdict takes strategy. And knowing which witnesses will break easily under cross-examination, and which need a bit more planning. The deputy mayor would be simple. Others? Not so much.

Detective Malone walked past, on his way to an ACU meeting. 

“Hope you get that throwing star killer,” Adrian said. “Heard it’s a tough case.” He nodded towards the mayor’s office. “Interesting situation, working for him, huh?”

Malone looked thoughtful but nodded, as Adrian pulled out his burner phone to text an anonymous tip line.


	8. 5.07

Serendipity is a beautiful thing, Adrian thought. He didn’t know who this Vigilante guy was; only that he was not particularly creative with his name. But Queen and his team were stretched thin, going after Vigilante, going after his target, facing the media as mayor. Day and night, acting like justice was Queen’s job.

Queen looked tired, like he was already questioning his choices.

Tired people make mistakes.

Adrian stepped into the interrogation room and smiled at the girl with the mask. Queen was watching. Time to make this good.

Maybe the monster could come out during the day, today.


	9. 5.09

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skipped 5.08 (the crossover), because Adrian isn't in it.

Oliver pushed away from the desk and stood, extending his hand. “Thank you for all your help last week,” he said. “It’s tough when both the mayor and chief of staff are pulled out of town unexpectedly.”

Adrian returned the handshake with his own firm grip. “I’m glad your vacation went well.” It was an understatement. Queen looked far too content.

“It wasn’t really a vacation,” Oliver said, smiling. “But it did go well.” He stepped back, then stopped. “See you at the holiday party?”

“I don’t want to miss it,” Adrian replied, “but I’ve got plans.”

So many plans.


	10. 5.10

That was a most enlightening feint, Adrian thought as he pulled on his dress shirt. It resolved one outstanding question: which was the critical piece? The sister, the soldier, the IT girl? Rumor had it that Queen had wrecked things with Felicity Smoak on his own, that she no longer held his heart together, that forcing Queen to kill Malone would easily remove her from the board.

Rumors were wrong.

Adrian knotted his tie, grabbed his suit jacket, and headed for the jail. Time to set up the sacrifice of one piece to let him capture a particularly valuable one.


End file.
